The NHL and NHLPA are negotiating secondary issues, like who gets single hotel rooms, in the hope that it leads to actual substantive discussions.

That method hasn't worked so far—but they're sticking with it.

Deputy commissioner Bill Daly on Monday told USA Today that the sides would resume negotiations in New York on Wednesday and Thursday, but had no plans to discuss "major economic issues,"—as in, the stuff that led to the NHL lockout in the first place.

Owners want to pay players less than the current 57 percent of revenues they receive, citing economic conditions (though the league's overall revenues are at $3.3 billion and growing) and the precedents set by the NFL and NBA. Their last proposal, delivered before the start of the lockout on Sept. 15, cut salaries immediately and eventually put the players at a 47 percent share.

The players' last proposal keeps them at about 52 percent of revenues and ties that number to a projected growth figure the league disputes. The union is also advocating more aggressive revenue sharing as a means of closing the league's economic disparity.

The sides quietly met last Friday in Toronto, and there was optimism that the session would lead to new proposals. That could happen down the road—but it hasn't happened yet, and it won't happen this week.

The league canceled the first two weeks of the regular season last week, wiping out 82 games from Oct. 11-24.